Freya instantly abandoned her cooking and was by Loki's side in an instant, for she could see the sheer sorrow and terror in his eyes. She instantly regretted pointing out the books, and she so desperately wanted to hug him and assure him that he would be alright. However, she knew it would not be appreciated, and so she just closed the book before offering a sympathetic smile.
"That's why you're here, isn't it?" She asked softly. "Because Asgard is…"
"It's gone." He uttered, the words sounding strange on his tongue. It had been his home for most of his life and yet… yet he had seen it obliterated just a day ago. "Ragnarok… it… it could not be stopped." He continued, while Freya handed him a tissue. He looked at her, half expecting to see pity in her eyes, and yet all he could find was a slight hint of sorrow but more compassion. Freya bowed her head, unsure of what to do, and yet she did not wish to leave him like this.
"If you wish me to leave you be then…" she offered, while he shook his head.
"Stay, please…" he asked softly, sounding so much like a lost child. She gave him a reassuring smile, then shifted so that she was sat down.
"Do you wish to talk or…"
"Your legends truly believe that I am at fault for…" he trailed off, the sorrow evident in his voice.
"Mostly." Freya paused, for she knew that the majority of the surviving tales did cast Loki in a poor light. "But I believe they were mostly written when you were a child and I'm pretty certain that most of them aren't true. I mean, one of the tales has Mjolnir being stolen by a giant who only agrees to return it if he can marry Freyja. Of course, being the Goddess of Beauty, she refuses, so Thor dresses as a bride and you as his handmaiden." Loki blinked, then smiled ever so slightly as the memory of that day came back to him. "I have no idea how the God of Thunder would pass for Freyja, but…"
"You'd be surprised." Freya tilted her head curiously, before shaking her head in disbelief. "Giants can be rather dumb, and they only suspected a trick when Thor's appetite was larger than anticipated."
"There are so many people who think it's just a myth…" She trailed off. "Truly, Thor was a bride?" he nodded, and Freya could not stifle her laughter. "I… Sorry, I know I shouldn't find this funny, but…"
"Oh, it was quite hilarious." The Trickster agreed, thankful for a happier memory. "It took many months for people to stop teasing him about it." The pair shared a brief smile.
"Well, regardless, my point about the myths still stand. I am sure that some of them aren't true, or tell different versions of events."
"They blame me for Ragnarok." He said simply, while she sighed.
"That's where things are a bit complicated. The myths were written down a thousand years ago, and…" She began to explain.
"But they're right. I did cause…" He admitted, still unable to believe quite what had happened. It didn't matter that there had been no other option to stop Hela, or that Thor had asked him to do it, Loki had summoned Surtur who had destroyed Asgard. Loki had also taken the Tesseract, which had led Thanos to the survivors and so he was responsible for their devastation and….
"Oh…" Freya was silent for a moment, before noticing just how troubled the Trickster was. He looked so vulnerable, and she felt her heart pang with sorrow, all the while trying to resist the urge to hug him. She settled for placing a comforting hand on his, and he shifted so that he was free.
"I do not need your pity!" he snapped as he got up, while Freya sighed, having half expected sucha reaction.
"I don't pity you Loki. I only wish to help."
"There is nothing you can do. You're just a mortal! You cannot bring Asgard back!" He pointed out harshly, while she sat quietly. "Asgard is gone, and I…" He paused, as the realisation hit him. "I am to blame."
"If your prophecies are anything like our myths, then Ragnarok is not the end, but the beginning of a new cycle." She said carefully, keeping her distance as she got to her feet. "I do not know how true that is, nor will I ask questions. Just know that you are welcome to stay here for as long as needed, and I am here if you need me for anything." With that, she returned to her cooking.
Loki could only pace the room after that, not sure what to do for the best. He had not expected Freya to be so calm, and he wondered just why she was being so kind to him even after he had admitted that he had caused Asgard's destruction. Kindness was not something he was used to, for he had not been given it freely since Frigga had died, and part of him wondered if this was a trap of some sort. Yet from what he remembered of Freya, this girl had not got a cruel bone in her body. Perhaps her offer was truly a genuine one, and she wanted nothing in return.
"I.. You haven't changed Freya." He said after about ten minutes. She looked up from the pan and offered a smile.
"A little older, and I like to think a little wiser, but I'm still the same woman who managed to summon you."
They ate in relative silence that evening, and Loki could not help but wonder just how he had come to be here. After all, he had believed Freya to be dead, and the binding had been undone…had it not? Was this just coincidence? Or was it something to do with what had happened all those years ago? All he knew was that he was glad to be in the company of a friendly face after the events of the last few days, and he had to work out what to do next. He had no idea if Thor had survived the explosion, or what had happened to the rest of his people. He hoped that the Titan would fail his quest, and he sincerely wished to have a few days to rest and recover before he did anything else. At least he had the opportunity to do so here, but the news of a spaceship in New York was doing nothing to soothe his nerves. After all, he knew that there were three Infinity stones on Earth, and he had no doubt that Thanos would be doing his best to find them. That meant that this planet may also face some horror soon, and he had no wish to place Freya in danger. Although Thanos may believe him dead, if the Titan discovered that Loki lived then… Well, it did not bear thinking about.
"I'm sorry Freya." He apologised as she cleared the plates away. "These past few days have been some of the worst I have experienced, and, well, I did not mean to… You are only trying to help after all."
"It's alright Loki." She assured him. "I won't lie. I cannot even begin to comprehend what has happened, but I will not ask questions either."
"I am not sure I can talk about it yet." He admitted. "But I should thank you for what you have done."
"I've only done what I'd do for anyone else." She shrugged.
"You are still far too nice." He said, while she rolled her eyes.
"I can kick you out if you'd prefer…" She joked, and he smiled, for truly this woman had not changed at all.
The next day passed relatively uneventfully, although Freya was still a little troubled at the news. She had followed the headlines in New York and realised that Iron Man was now gone, while Edinburgh had also suffered from an attack. She was unused to such big events occurring in the UK, and she wondered if the two attacks were related. Were they also related to the loss of Asgard? She had no idea, and she knew that Loki would not tell her. All she could do was hope for the best, and continue her life as normal. Well, as normal as could be when the God of Mischief was her house guest. Though it was not the first time she had lived with him, he had been a cat for those few months. This time was a bit more awkward, for she only had the one bedroom and she had soon surrendered it to him. She had slept on the sofa last night, and she was still not quite able to believe that he was here. After all, she had been told that he was dead, and she had accepted that a few years ago. To now have him in her flat… Well, she was glad of the friendly face, although it had brought up memories of days that she wished to forget.
It was true that she had loved seeing Asgard, and she had many good memories of her few days exploring the golden realm, but there were also bad memories too. Being told that she would have to die by Odin, and then being held captive by Caygill kept repeating in her head, and then there was the whole ordeal with SHIELD too. It had not surprised her to have a number of nightmares, and she was doing her best to ignore them as she went about her day. After all, she should be glad that Loki was alive and here with her. He made a good guest, but she knew that he could not stay here forever. He was a wanted criminal after all, and she had no idea what would happen to her if it was discovered that she had been harbouring him.
"I'm going to be in my room for about an hour, and then I'll make a start on dinner." She told him as she picked up her laptop.
"You are not to be disturbed?"
"It's a video chat with my family. It saves awkward questions if they don't see or hear you."
"I understand." He returned to his book, while Sif stretched a little and then made herself comfy in his lap. Freya smiled at the pair, before getting set up in her bedroom.
It was not long before Freya's worries were forgotten, for her sister made her laugh with tales of her latest escapades, while her parents talked about their neighbours and moaned about awkward customers. Freya smiled as she saw the familiar background of her childhood home, and she could not wait to see her parents again at the end of the month. She had been counting down the days to her visit, and the train tickets were currently pinned to her noticeboard in the kitchen.
"So how's the job hunt going?" Her mother asked the inevitable question about half an hour in. Freya just gave a heavy sigh.
"Like that is it?" Her father shook his head. "You'll find something eventually Freya."
"They're missing out, those who aren't hiring you." Astrid pointed out. "What else have you been up to in the meantime?"
"Oh, you know, the usual. Applying for everything and anything, reading the latest books and reports on the Norse finds, watching TV…" Freya shrugged. "And baking. The only problem with baking and living alone is that there's no one else to eat it." Her family smiled.
"You could always send some my way!" Astrid pointed out.
"I doubt it would survive the post!" Freya joked, before noticing a look of concern on her father's face. "Dad, are you alright?"
"I'm not feeling too good…" He said, looking down at his hand, then back to his wife. "Love, I…" he began, before he just faded into dust. Freya stared at the screen, wondering if this was some new filter, but the look of sheer horror and the cry her mother made sent chills down her spine.
"Mum? What…"
"I…" Her mother uttered, before she too faded away. Freya's eyes flickered to the box where Astrid was, only to see her sister also fade into ash. Her heart was in her mouth as she realised what she had just witnessed, and she stared at the two boxes on her screen, praying for them to come back. Perhaps this was some cruel joke, or a new filter or…. No, she refused to accept it!
"Mum! Dad! Astrid! Please!" She begged to two empty rooms. "Please come back! This isn't funny!"
"Freya!" A concerned voice answered, but it was not her family, and she instantly ran into the next room, hoping that Loki was alright. The God of Mischief looked full of fear and sorrow as he looked at the floor. Freya followed his line of sight, and then sank to her knees as she saw the small pile of ash which had once been Sif.
"No!" She cried as grief overwhelmed her. "No… This can't be... No!"
"I am so sorry Freya." He said, while tears fell from her eyes as she felt the ash with her fingers.
"No…" She sobbed. This could not be happening. But the ash in front of her could only confirm her worst fears. Her family were gone.
